What To Carry In Your Fanny Pack?

By Tom Niemela

When it comes to needing a tool out on the trail, all of us have wished we had packed our Craftsman Tool Box and all of its contents.  Since doing that would make us even slower than we already are (and tool boxes don’t go over logs very well), we resort to packing the minimum items that we deem necessary to occupy the dark crevices inside our lowly fanny pack.  Then there are those that pack them full of every conceivable tool that they could shoehorn into the bulging bag.  Those people are the ones you always want to follow, since their bag zippers usually go south and the trail is littered with toolish gems.  Over the years I’ve seen many a fanny pack spread out on the seat of a broken cycle and had a chance to see what contents various people have stored.  The trick is to have one tool that does everything!  You and I haven’t invented that yet, so the following are what I consider to be bare essentials.  These are in two categories: race bag, and dualsport bag.  The dualsport bag builds on the race bag, so follow me through a trip with “Tool Time With Tommy”.

The racing fanny pack must be small, so as not to get in the racer’s way whilst staying ahead of the competition.  It should also have tools that operate quickly, are reliable and easy to find in a hurry.  What’s the number one tool that should be in EVERYONE’S fanny pack?  Here it is: When working on your bike at home, ONLY use the tools in your fanny pack.  This will ensure that you always have the right tools out on the trail.  No joke here.  Refresh your tool supply as needed.  Also, go through your fanny pack every few months at least and toss all the old wrappers, broken parts and useless, outdated furry creatures that have made your pack their home.  Another couple things to mention is try switching your pack around 180 degrees to where the actual pack resides in front of you rather than in back of you.  It feels weird at first, but often times carries better and doesn’t bounce on your seat over whoops.  Also, when you wash your pack down, be sure and unzip everything to let it dry out.  It doesn’t hurt to spray your tools down with WD-40 once in awhile too to keep the rust at bay.  Rust never sleeps.

This is what “I” carry and works for me, although others may carry different items.  I’m always open for suggestions on different items, so email me if you have some newfangled ideas that work (in no particular order):

• Fredette 3-in-1 Wrench: this gem is a wonderful invention.  One wrench fits both axles, plus one end doubles as a spark plug wrench.  Besides, if Jeff Fredette designed it, it’s gotta be good! (Jeff is a multi-time ISDE gold medal champion)
• Small first-aid kit: if you have it, you probably won’t need it.
• Open-end and box-end wrenches: If you have a Jap bike, have an 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm.  If you have a Euro bike, replace the 12mm with a 13mm.  Also add to this a small 15mm and 17mm wrench for you shock pivot bolts and other larger hex units.  Don’t skimp – be sure they are quality tools.
• Tow rope: if you have it, you probably won’t need it.  Make sure it’s at least about 20 feet long.
• Spark plug: Duh, plus be sure that it’s stored in a dry, clean container like the Acerbis plug holder.  If nothing else, leave it in the cardboard it came in and wrap the container in duct tape to keep it kosher.
• Duct Tape:  Also known as 100mph Tape!  This is one of the world’s greatest inventions.  How did we EVER survive before it was created?  ‘Nuff said here, except be sure it is quality tape, not the el-cheapo stuff.  Oh, and don’t forget to replace the stuff in your pack once a year.  Take a roll that has about 25% left and stomp it flat.  Now it fits.
• Chain breaker, master link and clips: Be SURE the master link actually fits the chain on your bike (check it), and that you have a couple (I've dropped and lost them in the dirt) of master link clips.  Finally, be sure that your chainbreaker tool actually will break a chain when needed.  Try it out on some old chain to be sure. Also be sure your pliers will fit between the links to squeeze the master link sideplate on.  This is an aggravating chore, but make sure your pliers will actually work.  
• Quick Epoxy: Malcolm Smith makes a tube of this gook that is about the right size.  All you do is cut off a piece off the end and mush it around like a warm Tootsie Roll.  Then stick it on the spot to repair like bubble gum, wait a few minutes and you’re good to go.
• Safety Wire: Get this at your local hardware store and make sure it is galvanized, so it won’t rust. 
• Wire Cutters:  Hey, you gotta cut the safety wire with something, right?  Plus, if you’ve ever accidentally ridden through some wire and wondered in amazement that it could have wrapped itself so tight around your hub, you will be thankful for wire cutters.
• Matches: If you ever break down in the middle of Nowhere, Oregon, you will want to make a fire.  Make sure the matches are replaced occasionally so they actually work!
• Small Vice Grips: They can be used for many things, but one of the best uses is to double as a spare gear shift lever, should you lose yours.  No, you won’t shift very fast, but you’ll get home.
• Spare Fuel Line: So you ran out of gas and the sweep crew finally shows up? You cleverly packed that three-foot piece of fuel line, so all you have to do is remove the tubing from each bike’s petcock and connect the two petcocks with this line and turn on both petcocks.  Voila – the fuel will drain from his to yours in no time.
• Small Swiss Army Knife: A million uses, not the least to have a cutting blade.
• Reversible Screwdriver: two blades in one (Phillips and Flathead), and if you find the right one, the hex opening (after removing the blade) can double as an 8mm socket.
• X-Large Zip Ties: Why XL zippies?  When you get that eventual flat that you just can’t seem to fix or you know you’re close to the finish, squeeze about six of these bad boys around the wheel and rim and cinch ‘em up tight.  That’ll keep your wheel from spinning on the rim, plus will help keep it ‘on’ the rim.
• Allen Wrenches: Your bike probably has a couple of these lurking in the shadows, plus since you run Barkbusters (you DO, don’t you?), the Allen heads for the mounts usually get loose.  Also, by running Barkbusters, I now never need to carry spare levers.
• Pliers: Not much to say here, except if you get the kind of pliers (or vise grips) that also have the cutters integral to them, then you can remove the wire cutters from your pack.
• Small Grease Rag: Use this for lying on the ground, so you can set your tools and parts on.  This way they are less apt to get lost.  When finished, wipe off your hands with it.  The grease rag also doubles as a fire starter to use with the matches, in case you think it will be a long night.
• Power Bar (or something similar): Yep, it would be nice to have something to chew on at checkpoints or if you’re stranded for a lengthy time.  Although these marvels of man decay only in half lifes, you should remember to replace the one in your pack at least once a year, since most people don’t eat these for pleasure.
• Spare Jets: Usually we’re talking only a couple of main jets here.  Just remember that about every 2,000 feet of altitude change equals to one main jet size change.  They are brass, and therefore soft, so store them in a protective enclosure.
• Main Jet Tool: This nifty little item is basically a knurled, long socket that allows you to easily change your main jet.  Can get one at most any bike shop.
• No-Fog Cloth: This should be a requirement for riding in the Northwest.  You will be darn glad you have this jewel at the checkpoints when it’s moist out.
• Small Terrycloth: This is for wiping all the mud, mung and drool off your goggles at the checkpoints.
• ID: If you lose your pack, there’s a small chance some honest soul may return it.  Or if you crash and are knocked unconscious, the sweep crew will know who to bill Life Flight to!
• Money: A 10-spot should be enough to bribe Farmer Joe for some spare gas after you paid no heed to the big “W” course marker and kept going till you ran out of petrol.
• Sockets: Go minimal here.  Sockets take up space and need a ratchet. Use the smaller stuff.  I only have two sockets and figure I can twist them with my vise grips. 
• Four-inch Crescent Wrench: This little wonder does everything from spokes up to about 12mm bolts. 
• Small Straight-blade Screwdriver: Nice to have this for sudden carb or suspension adjustments.
• 21-inch Tube: I fold this puppy over about four times and wrap duct tape over the end, so it makes a perfect slot at the top to slide the pack belt through.  The 21” tube will work either front or back tire.
• Can of Jizm: This is that spoogy tire inflator stuff.  Get a good, compact can at your local bike shop, plus it comes with the flexible tube for installing easier.  MSR sells a unit you can store it in that mounts to your pack belt.
• CO₂ Cartridges: MSR, DualStar and others sell a great little pack that incorporates cartridges, the fitting for the valve stem and anything else you need to inflate that deflated piece of bumpy rubber.
• Tire Repair Kit: Gotta have it.  Quality patches, rubber cement and a scraping device.  Be aware that the tube of rubber cement will dry up on its own, so inspect occasionally.
• Tire Irons: Two quality smaller ones will do the job.
• Nuts & Bolts: a film canister of a few spares might get you to the finish, if one falls off.
• Mountain Money: When you gotta go, you gotta go, and you better have something to keep you from accidentally using poison oak.  What works better here is a handful of table napkins folded up in a zip-lock bag.  It's called Mountain Money because when your riding buddies need it, they'll pay huge sums of cashola to use some in dire straits.  Make sure they pay up when you get back to the truck, hehe.

Next is the larger dualsport pack.  It incorporates EVERYTHING above, but a few more amenities for those longer, leisurely rides:

• Ear Plugs: Most dirt bike helmets are noisy when romping down the tarmac at 55mph, so something to quiet down those lengthy pavement runs is welcome.
• Pen and Paper: Always nice to be able to scribble a note or make notes on your map.
• Larger First-Aid Kit: more is better when it comes to first aid.
• Maps: Always nice to know how lost you are, so bring ‘em if ya got ‘em.  Store them in Ziploc baggies.
• Small Saw: I received a small, chainsaw-like chain device a few years ago from my friend Ron Morgenthaler in Washington a few years back.  This is trick, compact and will actually cut pretty good-sized wood.  It coils up into a roll and fits into a chewing tobacco-sized can.  Check your local hardware store for one.  Other options are a foldable wood zig.
• Camera: You never know when you’ll want to take a picture, so always having a compact camera with you is good measure.  Besides, this is the Northwest, so there's always that chance of seeing Bigfoot, a UFO or just your buddy tipping over.  I also pack a spare roll of film, when I don’t carry my digital camera.
• Batteries: It drives me bonkers when the batteries go out in my enduro computer/recorder/bicycle computer/camera (pick one, or all).  And they always go out at the wrong time.

Geez, I forgot about carrying a backpack.  On those extended journeys, a backpack is a great way to carry larger items and this is usually what I stow in mine:

• Bicycle Tire Pump: I have one of these compact, double-actuated units that does a pretty good job.  Yet one more piece of protection for the eventual flat tire.
• Rain Gear: This is the Northwest where we don't die, we rust.  In a region where we use WD-40 as suntan lotion, rain gear is a must.  (Hmmm... I'm a poet and don't know it)
• Highlighter Pens: These are for marking maps or rollchart sections.
• Mountain Money: I carry an actual roll.  Same thing as duct tape - step on it and the roll compacts smaller.
• Spare Gloves: 'Nuff said.
• Spare Goggles: 'Nuff said.
• Spare Food: Trailmix makes a nice addition here.

That’s all I can think of for now.  I may add more as I sniff around more inside the dregs of my fanny pack.  Murphy's Law dictates that anything that can happen, probably will, so if you have something with you, you probably won't need it.  As the Boy Scout’s motto says: be prepared!